Sunday, May 4, 2014

wanderlust: vientiane and luang prabang, laos

Sabaidee! This is means hello in Lao language. My friends and I visited Vientiane and Luang Prabang, Laos during Easter break recently. Laos has similar culture or has influence of Thai, Vietnamese cultures and not forgetting tiny bit of French influence as it was under French rule. Luang Prabang is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Laos, so it is worth visiting place. Here are some photos from my trip. Enjoy!

Buddha park - 24 km south of Vientiane, is near the Mekong River. The park is filled with religious sculptures and was built in 1958 by the philosopher Bunleua Sulilat.

Phat That Luang - a symbol of Lao's nationhood and the country's most sacred Buddhist momument. It was built in the 16th century under the rule of King Setthathirat.

Patuxai - Gate of Triumph, is situated in the centre of Vientiane and was built between 1962 to 1968.

Wat Ho Phakeo - was built in 1565 as a royal chapel and repository for the celebrated statue of the Emerald Buddha which was seized from Northern Thailand in 1551. However, in 1778, the Siamese (Thais) invaded and recaptured it, taking it to Bangkok. The temple was destroyed in 1828 to 1829 during the Thai sacking of Vientiane. It was rebuilt in 1936 and restored again in 1993.

Wat Sisaket - the only temple in Vientiane to survive the sacking of the city theSiamese in 1828. It is the oldest and considered by many to be most interesting of the Laotian temples.

Kuang Si waterfalls - A three tier waterfall about 29 km south of Luang Prang. This is one of the favourite trips for tourists in Luang Prabang. Local tours often offer tours to this waterfall.

Royal Palace Museum - It was closed during our visit. It houses royal portraits and busts, religious artifacts and gifts from foreign states.

Whet your appetite with local food!

Khao Soy soup - Laotian breakfast; a bowl of noodle soup with pork meat and vegetables flavoured with special fermented bean paste. The soup it is not spicy as all the condiments are served separately.